Brief life of St. Athanasius III Patelarius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Afa-na-siy Si-dyashchy, Pat-ri-arch of Kon-stan-ti-no-Pol-sky, born in 1597 in the city of Re-vimna on o . Crete. He came from a noble Greek family of the Pa-te-la-ri-evs, who were related to the Vi-zan-tiy. skoy im-pe-ra-tor-skoy di-na-sti-ey Pa-leo-lo-gov. St. Afa-na-sii received a brilliant, diversified development. But despite the education and fame in society, secular life with its everyday pleasures and With the illustrious glory, he was not attracted by the holy life of Christian leaders. After the death of the father of St. Afa-na-siy accepted a foreign haircut in one of the Sol-lun monasteries, and later went to Afon. Soon the saint emerged from the walls as you-y-y-y-saying-name, interpretation of the Holy Scripture and hymn-count, author of spiritual songs in honor of the Most Holy God and some saints. The saint translated the Psalter from Hebrew into the new Greek language, which was subsequently kept in the monastery -li St. apo-sto-la John-on-God-words on about. Pat-mo-se.
In 1626, Saint Afa-na-siy was appointed to Va-la-chia, where he preached Christ’s teaching among the va- la-khov and mol-da-van.
For his labors and spiritual gifts, the saint was appointed Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish pat-ri-ar-kh Kir-ril-lom I was promoted by someone at the Kon-stan-ti-no-Polye ca-fed-re, and in 1631 - by the bishop of Fes-sa-lo-ni-kiy (So-lun-sky). In March 1634, after the persecution of the Tur-ki-mi by the authorities of Pat-ri-ar-kha Ki-ril-la I, the saint was revived ve-den on the pat-ri-ar-shiy pre-table. After the return of Pat-ri-ar-ha Ki-ril-la from exile, Saint Afa-na-siy left the Pat-ri-ar-shiy throne and he lived on Mount Athos for more than a year, completing his movements and prayers. Then he lived for one year in Italy, where his father invited him to accept something, promising to take him to the cardinal -skoe-sto-in-stvo. But Saint Afanasy remained faithful to the holy right. Since 1638, he again began to manage the So-lun department. At that time, in the temples of the So-lun mit-ro-po-lii, who tolerated the closeness of the Tu-rock from the other side, there was not enough God-service books, church utensils and ob-la-che-niy. The saint repeatedly turned to the Russian Tsar for help, and then he himself accomplished several things -those to Russia, where he visited holy places and performed divine services in monasteries and temples .
One day, returning from Russia, he fell seriously ill and stayed in Pre-o-ra-zhen-sky Mgarsky mo-na-sty-re of the city of Lub-ny, where on April 5, 1654, peace went to the Lord and was buried in the east according to custom: the body of the saint in full state was placed in a chair and lowered into a stone coffin -no-tsu in the Mo-na-Styr-sky Pre-o-ra-women's temple. February 1, 1662 about the imperishable relics of the saint, from which many pains come from -ce-le-nie. Unusual for Russia, the burial of St. Afa-na-siya in the city became the reason for the name -va-niya of his Afa-na-si-em Si-de-shim.
Nowadays the holy relics of the pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya are in the Bla-go-ve-schen-sky ca-fed-ral-so-bo-re in the city Khar-ko-ve.
Complete Life of St. Athanasius III Patelarius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint of Christ Afa-na-siy, holy pat-ri-arch of Kon-stan-ti-no-Pol-sky, Lu-bensky miracle-creator, lived in the 17th century, when in Russia the kingdom of the first kings from the house of Ro-ma-no-vyh - Mi-ha-il Fe-do-ro-vich and his son Alek-sey Mi-hai-lo-vich. Ma-lo-ros-si-ey, or Ukra-i-noy, at that time was ruled by Hetman God-dan Khmel-nitsky, and the neighboring large state government gift of Mol-da-vo-Vla-hi-ey - relative of God-da-na, state-gift of Va-si-liy Lu-pul; Greece and its capital, Tsar-Grad, were in the power of Tu-rock. They were ruled by the same Sultan Mu-rad IV, under whom two Tsar-Re-Grad stalemates died a painful death -ri-ar-ha: Kirill Lu-ka-ris and Kirill Kon-ta-ris, - Ib-ra-gim the 1st, who beat all the Christians on o . Kri-te, ro-dine pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya.
Those times were the same for us in the life of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Turks for-pre-ti-li-hri-sti-a-us-gree-kam to openly practice their faith. They did not fulfill the penalties, they were subjected to unbearable fines, and they were robbed property, sa-mih mu-chi-li and kill-wa-li. At that time there were many tormentors for the faith, and there were many steps away from Christ. For setting up for Christians pat-ri-ar-ha tur-ki they took a large fee from them. In addition to that rock, the Eastern Right-glorious Church, there are no other faithful Christians and pro-those stan-you. Ka-li-ki, especially-ben-but ka-li-che-skie mo-na-hi-yezu-i-you, all the forces have come to that, in order to subordinate the Eastern Church to the Roman Pope, and pro-te-sta-sta-sta-ra-s the right-glorious faith-teaching replace the thread with their own, who do not recognize either the church hierarchy or the sacraments. Both of them were very strong, obtaining means for their own business and taking advantage of the approach -ley of those countries where they came from. The right-glorious Greeks, due to their small number and poverty, could not resist them, so mi Kon-stan-ti-no-pol-skie pat-ri-ar-hi ino-gda become friends with someone or pro-te-stan-ta- We hope, in case of need, to find help from them. But this friendship often influences the pat-ri-ar-khov to see their wrongs. It was under some difficult circumstances that Pat-ri-ar-kh Afa-na-siyu III had to take the throne of the whole Leningrad region.
Saint Afa-na-siy is a pro-is-like Greek, born in the city of Re-timna on the island. Cree, in the Mediterranean Sea in 1597. He came from a prosperous, noble Greek family of the Pa-te-la-ri-evs, who were closely related with the royal family of Pa-leo-logs. Rod Pa-te-la-ri-ev from-li-cha-sya you-da-yu-schi-mi-sya mental-mi-da-ro-va-ni-ya-mi, what about -the certificates of the native pe-sen were kept. The father of Saint Afa-na-siya Gri-go-riy Pa-te-la-riy was a distinguished scientist, philosopher and pub-li-ci -ostomy The worldly name of Saint Afa-na-siya is unknown. Having been born, Saint Afa-na-siy studied at the school of Ar-ka-diy-sko-go at that time -on-sta-rya on o. Cri-te. In this school he acquired the strength of his knowledge and the firmness of his convictions in the right-wing faith. “I was,” he said about himself, “knowing the word of God, ma-te-ma-ti-ki, ri-to-ri-ki, many go-difficult gram-ma-ti-ki, pi-i-ti-ki, as-ro-no-mi-che-pre-wisdom, music-ki and other is -arts." He had an excellent command of the ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic and Italian languages.
In his youth, the saint had a very handsome face, with an open, kind look, which made people approach him at first. howl meet. Because of the royal family, the god, the philosopher and the poet by nature, he used great attention -I eat in the contemporary society of Fr. Kri-ta, and with the protection of Tea-fe-ta-pa-shi, the ruler of the island, he stood before him and shone future future. But the noisy life of high society was not to the youth’s liking. He was attracted to the quiet, good life of the Christian movements of Fr. Cree-ta, St. the mountains of Si-nai-skaya and Athos-na, which pro-in-div-shih all the time in prayer-movements and thus reached the -hov-no-go-perfection. Before his mental gaze there arose images of all the Len-sa saints: “divine, miraculous” go" tsa-re-grad-sko-go pat-ri-ar-ha; ; and especially the scholars and prophets of Evan-ge-lia is-tin-no-go and the interpretation of the Holy Scripture , who during the time of Saint Afa-na-siya were all from the island of Cree, where the saint himself lived 26 years. Having voluntarily left your high secular society, he renounced all its “preciousnesses”, dedicating himself to serving God, having accepted the image of a humble foreigner.
Removal from the world and its co-blas-novs, ma-te-ri-al-li-she-nias associated with the pr-nya-ti-em of other-che-sko - about - the - moving - life, which he began in the following years, for- ku Afa-na-this-seemed-to-be-we-were-not-yet-accurate enough to realize in ourselves the pre-but-si-s-si-e-ness about him - for the true shepherds and teachers of the Church. Monk Afa-na-siy completely directed his soul into mental prayer work, and gave himself up to faith -shen-stvo-va-niu through reading and studying the word of God. “Oh sacred, wonderful, most luminous book,” he prayed at such hours over St. Evangel, “I pray you, about the light of my soul.”
Monk Afa-na-siy soon became a prominent figure in the city of Ka-nee as you-y-y-you-say-know-name and is-interpretation-to-va-tel St. Pi-sa-niy, was summoned to Tsar-grad, sent to enlighten the light of Christ with the teachings of the Vlachs and the Mol-da-vans , for whom he translated the Psalm into the modern vernacular Hebrew Psalm into the New Greek language was subsequently kept in the monastery in the name of the holy apostle John -on the Bo-go-slo-va on the island of Pat-mo-se, and copies from it - in various monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos) and in 1631 for you-y-y-you-s-s-moving and pro-luminous activity was elevated to the rank of epi-sco-pa , and then mit-ro-po-li-ta Fes-sa-lo-ni-kiy-sko-go, otherwise So-lun-sko-go.
Since the time of elevation to the rank of epi-sco-pa, and then pat-ri-ar-ha, a close relationship began for the saint path, - the path of sadness, grief, spiritual and physical suffering, humbly traversed by him under the weight pat-ri-ar-she-go ti-tu-la. The state would have liked to try the patience of the pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya in the unification and firmness in the practice yes, and he remained adamantly faithful to Him until the end of his days.
Fes-sa-lo-ni-Kiy-skaya mit-ro-po-lia, in the pre-deeds of which the Holy Mount Athos is located, near -shaya to the Tsar-city, most would-la and ra-zo-re-na tur-ka-mi. The disastrous situation, the disorder in the church administration, the re-li-geous confusion of minds is so heavy It was clear from the bishop that he was even ready to renounce the episcopacy completely. But the Lord strengthened his will. “There is no way,” wrote the mit-ro-po-lit Afa-na-siy on this occasion, “willingly, I must do this , for which I took it. The Lord said: putting your hand to your mouth and looking back is not governing the Kingdom of God (). When you invite someone to a marriage, you shouldn’t be sad and look back at the living hand.”
At that time, the Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish pat-ri-ar-shiy throne was occupied by the famous pat-ri-arch Kirill Lu-ka- rice. He was in great friendship with pro-te-stan-ta-mi. The pa-pi-sties took advantage of this situation, talked about it before the sul-ta-n in the state of -men, in pro-te-stan-stvo and got-to-be-exiled him to-for-that. They wanted to bring to the pat-ri-ar-shiy throne their one-e-mouse-len-ni-ka Ki-ril-la Kon-ta-ri-sa , Episcopal Ver-riy. The right-glorious ones rebelled against pa-pi-sta Ki-ril-la and insisted that the throne be temporary, until the return -scheniya from exile Ki-ril-la Lu-ka-ri-sa, was replaced by Fes-sa-lo-ni-kiy mit-ro-po-li-tom Afa-na -si-em. This time, someone gave them permission, because they knew that Metropolitan Afa-na-siy did not approve at all This is the teaching of the pro-te-stans, their impenetrable enemies. Five months passed, and Kirill did not return from exile; then, on March 5, 1634, the mit-ro-po-li-ta Afa-na-siya from-bra-li was a real pat-ri-ar-kh. For his approval in this rank of sul-ta-well, he paid 180,000 rubles. When the mit-ro-po-li-ta Afa-na-siya pat-ri-ar-khom was elected, it was assumed that his tenure in such a rank was not -red sul-ta-nom about the return of Kirill-la will have more meaning. The rise of the mit-ro-po-li-ta Afa-na-siya to the pat-ri-ar-shiy throne was held on March 25, on the day of Bla-go- things.
Soon after this event, Kirill returned. He remained dissatisfied with everything that happened here in his absence. Although Pat-ri-Arch Afa-na-siy gave him the throne voluntarily, but due to the insistence of his enemies, he was still ob- he is guilty of paying too much money to the church for his establishment. About-the-stan-do you want with this about-vi-no-ni-em op-ro-chit pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya in the eyes of Kon-stan-ti-no -Polish flock, from whom in a short time he gained love and respect.
When the trial of Pat-ri-ar-kh Afa-na-si-em was held, no guilt was found against him: although the costs were He was considerable, but there was no way to do without him; other pat-ri-ar-hams had to pay for their position. It may even be significantly more, but the goal was achieved.
Disappointed and offended by such a thing, the saint retired to the Holy Mount Athos, where he gave up mo-lit-ven-nym on-movements and on-lo-lived the os-no-va-nie of the ob-te-li, which-paradise is now called the Russian Saint-An -dre-ev-skim Ske-tom. A year later, when Patriarch Afa-na-siy was in Italy, the Pope of Rome, knowing about his spiritual turmoil, proposed to live let him go to something, promising for that an even place between somebody else's ar-hi-ere -I-mi, but the saint-with-him-rejected his proposal.
In 1638, Saint Afa-na-siya again wanted to bring him to the pat-ri-ar-shiy Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish pres- table, but it doesn’t matter to you. They st-sta-vi-li on pat-ri-ar-she-stvo you-she-upo-me-well pa-pi-sta Ki-ril-la Ver-riy-skogo, and in order to appease the right-of-glorious ones, for-ve-ri-them, that pat-ri-ar-hu Afa-on-this will be provided-with-a-place -after Ki-ril-la (since they didn’t think that he’d be pat-ri-ar-hom for a long time), and before that time again offered to pat-ri-ar-khu Afa-na-siyu to take over the Fes-sa-lo-ni-kiy mit-ro-po-lia with the right to manage it and serve -live there according to the manner and custom of the pat-ri-ar-she-mu.
The Fez-sa-lo-ni-kiy-mit-ro-polia at this time found itself in a greater state of peace. There were no church courts, no clothes in which one could serve the pat-ri-ar-hu. Pat-ri-arch Afa-na-siy wrote several times to Moscow to Tsar Mi-ha-i-lu Fe-do-ro-vi-chu, asking him to help So -Lun-skaya mit-ro-po-liy, “on-gi-ba-yu-shchey, like a ship in the depths,” but the help from there came a little -shay, especially in comparison with need, and meanwhile the new Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish pat-ri-arch Par-feniy is formidable- but the saint warned that he would deprive him of even his pat-ri-ar-she-go sa-na, if he did not reach to lay out the required amount of funds to maintain it, Tsar-re-grad-sko-go pat-ri-ar-ha. It got to the point that after four years of service pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya in So-lu-ni his po-sa-di -or to prison. “It’s impossible to describe the troubles, torment and dre-m-sitting that he had to endure there,” says the mol-dav-sky state dar Va-si-liy Lu-pul. In order to obtain funds to pay debts, the saint decided to personally go to Moscow to Tsar Mi-ha-i-lu Fe-do-ro see and ask him for help. After suffering in prison and difficult journeys through the Balkan Mountains, she landed in the Moldavian land. climb pat-ri-ar-hu, and he had to stay here. The sick saint lived in Mol-da-via for nine years, never ceasing to worry about his mit-ro-poly and from -give your best-torn powers for the benefit of the Moldavian Church and the illumination of young people in Moldova the light of Christ's teachings.
In 1652, Saint Afa-na-siya was elevated to the pat-ri-ar-shiy Kon-stan-ti-no-Poly throne for the second time. At this time, the Tur-ki waged a war for themselves because of the birth of pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya o. Kri-ta; The Tsa-re-grad flock was in great fear and sadness: Tur-ka-mi killed three of its pat-ri-ar-ha; all the church affairs were in the background; there was no money in the Pat-ri-ar-shay treasury; enemies but-in-go pat-ri-ar-ha pro-te-stan-you began to spread rumors that he is all-ma-blah-inclined to pa-pi -stam; Many people, and even some of the great ones, were sure of this. In order to appease his right-glorious flock, in 1652, on the day of the first supreme apostles Peter and St. Paul, Tel Afa-na-siy in his pat-ri-ar-shey church said the following pro-in-fact: “On this ka-me-ni, and not on Peter, as he -some people say, “I am waiting for My church,” says Christ, “on is-by-ve-da- Peter's knowledge, which is like this: You are the son of God - on him, He said, I am looking forward to building My church. - Peter is not a rock, a rock - Christ, as the apostle says about this. Pavel: Christ was the Rock. We are not Pet-ro-serve, but Christ-serve. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven... It was he who said about the future, which he fulfilled on the day of Five Tsy, glorifying the Holy Spirit, not so that one has more and the other less, but to everyone equally; not Peter alone, or more than him, no matter what, but everyone is equal, and Peter had nothing more or less than “I don’t compare with others, but everyone would be equal.”
All the presence-in-the-church ura-zu-me-li from this pro-po-ve-di that Pat-ri-arch Afa-na-siy is undaunted and fearless -ko-le-bi-my is-in-the-wed-nik of the right-to-glorious faith. For Ri-ma and some others, this would have been a heavy blow and a disgrace. In order to take revenge on the faithful guard of the Eastern Church of Christ, they spread a rumor in the Tsar-city that the pat-ri -arch in his pro-ve-di defended pa-pu, and Jezu-and-you are so cunning about this whole business about-sta-vi-li that is-ti- opened more than two hundred years later. At the same time, they co-ve-to-va-va-li tur-kam demand to-add-le-tion from the right-to-glory pat-ri-ar- ha for his position. “And in a few days,” says Pat-ri-Arch Afa-na-siy, “the Aga-Ryans began to rule over me with considerable sul-ta -but-you, on the vi-zi-rya and others in honor; everything that I had of my own, I gave to ba-sur-ma-us, and also borrowed with great growth, and, seeing them, I was not satisfied ness, called to himself the ar-hi-erev and the cl-ri-kov and the nobles, the right-glorious Christians, and the pat-ri-ar-she-sky his “I gave the table away with my will.” The saint freely renounced the All-Len-of his throne, knowing that the powers of his windows -the body is weak and he is no longer able to rule the entire linen flock.
The spiritual and those forest-sufferings are so much at the mercy of the saint’s health that he only wanted now -to one thing: “at some point about the rest of your days.” Soon after his re-birth, he went to Mol-da-via, where he first began to build the Nikolsky Mos- ture na-stir in the city of Ga-la-tse, I hope to find a place there. But the Lord would have liked to direct the saint’s earthly path differently.
At that time, there was a gathering of Bal-kan peoples: Ser-bians, Mol-da-van, Vla-khov, Greeks, etc., Union with the goal of expelling that rock from the Tsar-city and thus forever freeing Christ's Church from their yoke. I’ll also join the little ones to this. So-yuz ordered pat-ri-ar-hu Afa-na-siyu to go to Moscow and convince the Russian Tsar Alex-sey Mi-hai-lo-vi- We want to stand at the head of the whole business and for this rule the Tsar-city and all of Greece. Seeing in this matter the pre-thought of God, the saint willingly agreed with the proposal. nie so-yu-za and went to Moscow.
The path was difficult, but the Lord preserved the strength from his battles. The journey to Moscow lasted five months, of which the most dangerous were March and February, when in Little Russia is on the verge of spring, everything is pre-ro-gi is-por-che-ny, except that, at that time God-given Khmel-nits -kyy waged war with the po-la-ka-mi. On April 16, 1653, on Saturday on Pa-skhe, Pat-ri-arch Afa-on-this blessing arrived in Moscow. He was received here with great honor, and he lived in Moscow until December 14 of the same year. The saint steadfastly and with all diligence fulfilled the instructions he had taken upon himself. “The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, His Most Pure Mother, the all-holy saint of the universal Gregory of the God-words,” is the refuge - Pat-ri-arch Afa-na-siy Tsar Alek-sey gave Mi-hai-lo-vi-cha, - we can help you take possession of the Tsar-city. This city is the glory of the world, the praise of everything, the king of the country, the center of the earth, the earthly paradise, the garden of everything -len-noy, the sky is decorated, pi-s-che-lo-ve-che-che-skaya to all those who are between-the-station and behind-the-house, and to the east there is a mile away from everything. This city was created by the first blessed king, the holy equal of the capital Kon-stan-tin, he-re-tsa-et-sya new Ri-mom. There should be a head of the church there, there should be a co-bo-ram of the all-len-sky, and the great king himself and aw-gu-stu. Your sovereign Kingdom is liberated by the Holy One, the Living Tomb of the Lord, God-ho-ho-di-my Mount Si-nai, St. Mount Athos: and then the most beautiful Mount Sophia opens. The man's mind is beautiful and great. And the goodness will be promulgated in it, and the Holy Trinity will be glorified, and will rise to her Holy Living Cross of the State every day. Here you are the tsar and the ruler of Moscow and all of Russia, and you have taken possession of the Tsar-city, you will You are the mo-nar-home of the whole universe, and you are worshiped by the whole world. Now is the most pleasant time to go to liberate the Tsar-city. Don’t be afraid, take heart and be strong: your powers are not ours.”
No one except the state-by-da-rya Mol-da-vii Va-si-lia Lu-pu-la and get-ma-na Ma-lo-ros-sii God-da-na Khmel-nits -who, I didn’t know that a ho-da-tai and a sad-for-the-Eastern guardian of the Church of Christ had come to Moscow to the Tsar . Moscow-vi-chi received the saint as a pro-si-te-la mi-lo-sty-nor for her needs. His generous ode-ri-va-li at pri-e-mahs, god blah-da-ri-li-for his service, and when he announced that he was building -it’s in the city of Ga-la-tse mo-na-styr and he doesn’t have the means to finish it, according to special people dedicated to him- Is there a lot of money and ma-te-ri-a-lovs and sacred objects for this matter?
For this, the noble beggar rewarded Moscow from the wealth of his mind and heart: he showed Moscow the path to light and knowledge, he himself accepted the teaching sity in the good dispensation of the Russian divine service of the church and helped the royal family in the chagrin of its si -I beg-you for permission to follow the throne.
The saint’s convictions had an overwhelming influence, but the completion of the deed for which he called and blessed the saint said to the Russian Tsar, during the war, I began at this time between Russia -ey and Poland because of Ma-lo-ros-sia.
On the return route pat-ri-arch Afa-na-siy temporarily stayed in Lub-nakh, the main city of Le-vo-be- director of Ukraine. When he drove up to the Lu-bensky monastery (February 1654), abbot Fr. Pet-ro-niy and his brother-in-law, in sacred robes, met him. When Fr. The hegu-men came to him under the blessing of the holy pa-ri-arch and said to him: “My soul desires in this moment.” my sinful body is still rowing.” The saint's prediction about his death was fulfilled after a month of his stay in the monastery. From the hard-to-rozh-no-go, the wounds were growing, received by the pat-ri-ar-hom back in Fes-sa -lo-no-kiy-prison, his body was swollen, and he died on April 5, Wednesday, on Fo-mi week “like a martyr, like a saint, a pre-da-vaya bless-word to all christ-a-us, who still have their bless-words for their lives -lal." Hegu-man, the brotherhood of the mo-na-sty-rya and the retinue of the pat-ri-ar-ha, rowed him in the temple of the Pre-o-ra-zhe-niya of the Lord under am-in-nom, in front of the royal gates, in a sitting position, how to row in the sewer pat-ri-ar-how. The whole ar-hi-erei-society was on him, and he had a dry hand in his hand; they put him in a chair-la and with a chair-la-mi, sitting in a stone coffin. On the tomb, those present during the burial made the following inscription: “Son! If you're respectful, don't miss your father without a clue: he was sensitive, responsive to people's re-shepherd the apo-so-throne and after his death pray for his flock before Shepherd-you-rem - Christ" . And the mouth over-pi-sa-te-ley go-vo-ri-la sa-ma is-ti-na: good-ro-ta, nice-lo-ser-die, blah-go-de-ya tions and blessings, condescension towards the infirmities and shortcomings of human beings, - as they say for -pi-si modern-men-ni-kov, - in the eyes of the saints you were kind-ro-de-te-la-mi, someone - which he approved in other people, he invariably manifested himself in the happy and sad days of his earthly life.
Having glorified the holy God, he glorified the incorruptibility and miracles. In 1662, the Gaz mit-ro-po-lit Pa-i-siy Li-ga-rid, passing through the city of Lub-ny, asked to show him the coffin tsu svja-ti-te-la. His imperishable remains were from-under cover... “When, with the blessing of the Kiev-speaking mit-ro -did the coffin open, the church was filled with blessings, and the holy pat- ri-ar-ha the body is intact, only the right hand, which he was holding, has two or three fingers missing. The sacred clothes that were on the saint, the ones that fell off his body and decayed, the things he sat on, the chairs that rotted , tse-ly-mi about-re-li-only pa-li-tsu and dry.” At the power of the holy pat-ri-ar-ha, are there new robes and live in the church of Pre-ob-ra-zhe-niya Lord sleep-ru-zhi. In recognition of the miracles that happened before the discovery of the honest relics and at their discovery, on the new tomb then there would have been such an inscription: “The All-mighty and Inexorable God according to the Holy go Pat-ri-ar-ha Kon-stan-ti-no-pol-sko-go AFANASY glorify the blessing of the miracle of creation to the flesh of incorruptibility on and blah-da-ti pre-is-pol-ne-na in the days of Bla-go-che-sti-vey-sha-go Go-su-da-rya, Tsar-rya, Ve-li-ka -Th Prince Alexia Mi-hai-lo-vi-cha."
Since then, the imperishable relics of the holy kon-stan-ti-no-pol-go pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya have become the subject of -chi-ta-niya and worship of the believers of all right-glorious Russia. The precious treasure, which you came from under cover, did not rot under the ground, turned out to be valuable at the same time a medicinal source for all guardians. Sweet-grey and loving-abundant during his life, the saint does not abandon his all-Lena flock. and after his death. Appearing to many in sight, he blesses, instructs and heals the faithful sons of Christ -howling church, with immeasurable and zealous prayers coming to him.
This is what the former abbot of the Lu-ben-monastery, now the illustrious saint of Bel-gorod, writes about his I eat vi-de-nii and be-se-de during this vi-de-niya with Saint Afa-na-si-em: "1740 October 26 I saw such a dream: I saw the saint of Christ Afa-na walking near his shrine in full ob-la-che-nii , I put my hand under someone's hand. After that, he again lay down in his shack, and I, a sinner, put him in and began to say the following words to her: “Holy Pat-ri-Arch, I wish for Your Holiness a day of celebration.” decided and petitioned the Most Holy Ra-fa-i-lu about this" (which, in fact, was so). To this the Saint asked: “What then?” I told him that the Most Holy One said that this cannot be done, because it is necessary to write about it in the Si-nod and I need to show him his chu-de-sa. Then the saint said: “Oh, yes, they would be here from Moscow...” I dream- he began to say to him: “Holy Pat-ri-arch, punish me during my life for my sins.” And he says : “After all, I’ve already said it; is there any more time to say it? Good, good.” Then he lived on my sinful head hands and said: “Yes, the Lord bless you from Si-o-na, living in Jeru-sa-li-me...”, on which I woke up- Xia. 1741, March 1, when I fell asleep a little during the day, I saw that I was serving in the Church of St. Sophia of Kiev pa-ni-hi-du with the Most Holy Ra-fa-i-l. When I celebrated every church, at every mountain th place, from the right side, Saint Afa-na-siy, also in Mga-ra, in his shrine, the saints of “I threw cabbage soup at someone with great horror; he put out his hand, took me by the hand tightly, and I started vo-pi-yat: “Holy Pat-ri-arch, pray to God for me, a sinner, may the Lord not reject me!” And he said: “He will, he will,” and he drank the following words: “As the Father loves me, so I love you.” “You are beaten by the Son...” At the same time, I woke up.”
Three years after the description of the visions of St. Joash-f in Le-to-pi-si Lu-ben-sko-go-na-sta-rya describe such a miraculous co-existence with the relics of Saint Afa-na-siya. “In 1745, on the 14th of March, on Thursday of the third week of the century,” says the face that was on the s-be si-lu bla-go-dat-noy with the help of the holy Afa-na-siya, - since early in the morning I’ve been ill I was speechless, felt very uneasy all over my body, and felt sleepy. I lay down and fell asleep. In a dream, I imagined that I was standing in a large, well-decorated church and listening to singing. Suddenly I feel like the church is collapsing and is burying me under its wrath. From the fright, I screamed in a strange voice and woke up. Having recovered, I wanted to talk to those around me, but the tongue appeared to me, and I I couldn’t say a word. So three hours passed, after which the gift of words returned to me again, and I talked until the evening. Towards the evening I finally calmed down, expecting that my illness would eventually pass, and, With her freedom gone, I fell soundly asleep that night. My joy was the same as before. When I woke up early on Friday, it turned out that my illness not only had not gone away, but had significantly intensified : I was at a loss for words and couldn’t make a sound. On Saturday, in the morning, they treated me: let the blood flow, give me drops for drinking, and give me a mouthful for my throat. I drank a drop, I gulped, but I didn’t feel anything about it, but, according to me, I - my headaches and headaches have gotten worse.
Seeing the uselessness of medicine and noticing that it was getting worse, I left my medicines and decided to pray to the saint of God, Afa-na-siya, hoping with her that it would not be possible to receive healing learning your own language. I informed my to-va-ri-scham about my on-me-re-niy on the boo-ma-ge. They approved of me and then began to drink in fulfillment of their vow, having volunteered to escort me to the prison. With such a thing I fell asleep on the night from Saturday to Sunday. And then I see a dream: an old man in light clothes comes up to me, in his hand he has a wonderful flower with red berries. mi; he gives me this flower and says: “Take this flower from my hand and keep it with you, Ima-shih to this day.” after the reign of the Divine Li-tur-gia, he will be taken down.”
Woke up from sleep, I collected my medicine, went out into the yard and began to get ready for the Lu-bensky monastery -an arrogance to please God, to the holy Christ of Afanas. From this one-measure my headaches stopped. But it was not destined for me to be realized right away. The chief clerk of our Lu-ben-sko-th regiment, Afa-na-siy Shklya-re-vich, came to the hall so that I wouldn’t go anywhere that day. lu-chal-sya, and until-zhi-dal-sya ap-te-ka-rya Peter Neidgar-da. He had to come and let the blood come out from under my tongue. The order made me very upset, and with a fuss of heads, I began to wait for -ho-da up-te-ka-rya. Ap-te-kar didn't come for a long time, but my pain kept getting worse. That’s when I decided to disobey the ko-man-di-ra and secretly went to the mo-na-stair, where my to-va-ri-schi were already waiting for me. And in this monastery, in the temple of the Blessedness of the Most Holy God, on the Divine tour -gii, before the mighty-pleasures of God, the holy Christ of Afa-na-siya and before the icon of the Most Holy God -di-tsy, I bowed with all my diligence, kissed them and diligently asked for permission to solve my language -mu. And after the release of the Divine Li-tur-gy, I went to a single cell and then, for about half an hour or a little less, with the help of the Pleasure of God, the holy Christ of Afa-na-siya, he began to speak. This is my cure for muteness, both I and everyone present recognized it as a miracle. I, having given the pleasure to God, to the sanctification of Christ Afa-na-this, praiseworthy blessing, pro- shu, yes, everyone will know about this. - Ko-pi-ist of the regiment of the Lu-ben-skaya can-tse-la-ria, son of the ka-za-ka of the Glin-skaya hundred, resident of the town of Glin-ska Ste-fa -na Ga-li-chi-na, Gav-ri-lo Ga-li-chin.”
On May 25, 1813, at the relics of Saint Afa-na-siya, Princess Vol arrived from Moscow -horse. She was persuaded to come to Lub-ny three times by the sounds she heard in her sleep and saw Obi-te-li, standing on the mountain, in which she saw the holy one. Her relatives, Va-sil-chi-ko-you and Ta-ti-she-you, told her about the saint of Afa-na-sii, according to -chi-va-yu-shem in the same place in the Lu-ben-skaya ob-te-li. The princess hurried to Lub-ny. In the church she was not-sat-on-the-carpet and lay-on-at-the-relics-of-the-saint. So she listened to li-tur-giya and mo-le-ben and was from-not-se-na in the go-sti-ni-tsu. That same evening, as soon as she heard the good news for the evening, she herself rose from her bed and, to all... To the general amazement of all the worshippers, she herself came to the church. About the three-fold vision of the saint and the call of him, she herself ras-s-told the ig-men-nu Sa-mu-i-lu and about -whose brotherhood.
The next year there was such a cure for the cancer of St. Afa-na-siya. A man who has been devoted to all his passions since his youth and has almost reached the point of mentality. body, felt, finally, in need of help and decided to go to a prayer service in Kiev . On the way, he and his brother went to Lub-ny and there, during a tour, which he could not listen to in his heart before -but-to-the-disorder, turned to the holy Afa-na-this, and suddenly-but-is-targeted- His mental illness was present. Having fallen to the relics of the saint, he kissed them with traces of ras-ka-ya, and at that moment he was presented with It seemed that the saint himself, as if alive, was sitting in front of him, and his face was like the face of the Angel of God.
In the 90s of the last hundred years in the city of Anan, in the family of the ko-men-dan-ta of the guards of the half-cov-ni-ka Iva-na Mat-ve-e-vi-cha Ar-ga-ma-ko-va and his wives Olim-pi-a-dy Alek-se-ev-ny Ol-shev-skaya, yav-le- Not the saint Afa-na-siya, her little son Ar-ka-diy was healed. The child was now in his sixth year, and he was ill with a serious form because of how well he was happy. Treated his best doctors, turned to the local natives, who benefited from their tra-va-mi, you-pi-sy -whether there are specialists, pro-fes-so-rov on children's illnesses, - it’s all in vain, the days of the baby were so- damn. And here is the mother, who just stood there for two days at the death of her only son, in terrible sorrow and from -I suddenly remembered about Saint Afa-na-sii Lu-bensky. She rushed to her knees and in a fervent prayer to the saint asking for the cure of the pain -go Ar-ka-diya. Suddenly, she saw the saint and heard his voice: “Your son will be healthy, and there will be no trace of illness.” -no-xia.” Indeed, by morning the child fell asleep, and his strength began to recover every day. Glad he was, then, he never got sick all his life. Subsequently, standing in the military service with the rank of regiment, Ar-ka-diy Ivanovich Ar-ga-ma-kov always had with once upon a time holy Afa-na-siya, I also went on a trip to Lub-ny to worship the region I sanctify him.
Many other miracles happened with the honest relics of Saint Christ Afa-na-siya, some of which are not mentioned here up-me-well. But also brought to a hundred precisely in order to see how the Lord glorifies the Lord from His battles and how love -the abundant shepherd of the apo-so-throne, and after his death he is kind-hearted to the children of the church of Christ, with purity and with immeasurable faith, we attach ourselves to his healing powers.
In the 60s 19th century was the life of the saint Afa-na-siya with a description of the miracles that were accomplished with his relics. In 1901, under Episcopal John of Poltava, in the Si-no-distant ti-po-graphy there was from-pe-cha-ta-na “Service in the saints of our father Afa-na-siyu, pat-ri-ar-khu Kon-stan-ti-no-pol-sko-mu, Lu-ben-sko-mu-chu-do- creator."
In 1936, when the unveiling of holy relics was carried out without divine authorities, in the then capital Ukra-i-n, city of Kharkov, were there among others the holy relics of St. Afa-na-siya. Out of fear of complications between inter-family relations, because Saint Afa-na-siy was a Greek by origin, and due to the uniqueness of his holy relics, the authorities did not dare to unify them -what-to-live. In such a way, blah-da-rya All-thought-of-the-God, holy relics of holy Afa -this was preserved in the Kharkov City Historical Museum.
During the Great Patriotic War, in 1943, the Kharkov Bla-go-go-ve-schensky Federal Ca-federal was re-opened. ny cathedral, where were the holy relics of Saint Afa-na-siya and Saint Me-le- tiya, ar-hi-epi-sko-pa Khar-kov-sko-go (memory 12/25 Feb-ra-la). Since then and to the present time, the holy relics of Saint Afa-na-siya have been opened in a special setting -en-noy ra-ka in the right pri-de-le so-bo-ra, where every week on Thursdays there is a special event black-go-go-go-the-same-service with reading aka-fi-sta-holy Afa-on-this na-ras-singing.
We firmly believe that according to the prayers of Saint Afa-na-siya and Saint Me-le-tiya, the All-Mi-lo-sti-vy State May we protect our city of Kharkov and all the people of the land of Slo-bo-zhan from all troubles and misfortunes. God's special blessing, we believe, through the prayers of the holy saints of our lands, appeared on June 2, 1997 yes, when someone's evil hand taught the fire in the bell tower with the hope that it was fiery the element of uni-that the whole cathedral lives. But the right hand of God, in front of the eyes of the whole nation, from the upper tier of the co-lo-y, engulfed in flames, fell no less than a hundred from the co-bo-ra. In this way the Holy Blessed Cathedral and the relics of the holy sites were preserved, there's something in it.
Glory to all the Lord and the blessing of His saints for the manifested inexorable great mercy to us and our blessed shrine.
Another biography of St. Athanasius III Patelarius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Afa-na-siy III Pa-te-la-riy, Pat-ri-arch of Tsar-re-grad, Lu-bensky miracle-worker, in the world Alek -siy, was born in 1560 on the island of Crete, in the family of the blessed Greek Pa-te-la-ria. Despite the development and fame in society, Alexia was attracted by the life of Christian movements. After the death of his father, he cut his hair in a robe with the name Ana-nia in one of the So-lun monasteries, from-ku- but later he went to the monastery of Es-fig-men on Athos, where he served in the refectory. From Athos he embarked on a journey to the Pa-le-steen monasteries and in one of them accepted a foreign haircut -name with the name Afa-na-siy. Upon his return to So-lun, he was placed in the priesthood and spread the teachings of Christ among the va-la. khov and mol-da-van, for whom he translated the Psalm from Greek into their native language. From time to time the saint went to Mount Athos for prayerful solitude and God's blessing for pastoral work. The holiness of his life attracted many Christians who wanted to see the truth about -in the glorious faith of Christ.
With his incomparable abilities and spirits, he attracted attention nie pat-ri-ar-ha Kon-stan-ti-no-pol-skogo Ki-ril-la I (Lu-ka-ri-sa) (1621-1623), who, calling for the move-no-ka, he-signified about-by-led-no-one at the pat-ri-ar-shay ka-fed-re. Soon, Saint Afa-na-siy was elevated to the rank of bishop and made a mit-ro-po-li-of the So-lun-skaya Church.
At this time, Pat-ri-arch Kirill I (Lu-ka-ris) was okle-ve-tan in front of the sul-ta-nom and imprisoned on the island of Te-ne -dos, and Saint Afa-na-siy was elected to the Pat-ri-ar-shiy throne on March 25, 1634, on the day of the Blessing of the Pre- Holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy.
While at the first-holy cathedral, Patriarch Afa-na-siy waged a tireless struggle for the right-to-glorify the Tiv here-ti-kov, Jezu-i-tov and mu-sul-man. Having been at the pat-ri-ar-sham pre-sto-le for about 40 days, because of the enemies of the right-to-slav-viy, he was low-ve-den, and on ka -Kyrill I (Lu-ka-ris) was returned to the fed-ru. The saint went to Mount Athos, where for some time he hid in solitude. Then he was again elevated to pat-ri-ar-she-stvo, but a year later he was deposed, after which he returned to the city of So -lun and did not interrupt communication with Athos. In view of the nester-pi-my go-ne-niy mu-sul-ma-na-mi of the right-glorious Christians, holy Afa-na-this at-ho- di-elk repeatedly sent (from 1633 to 1643) the petition to the Russian Tsar Mi-ha-i-lu Fe-o-do-ro -vi-chu (1613-1645) about the granting of mercy to the Kon-stan-ti-no-Polish Church.
When staying in So-lu-ni became impossible for the saint, he was forced to leave for Mol-da-via under prison schi-tu state-da-rya Va-si-lia Lu-ku-la and sit there in the abode of saint Niko-laya near Ga- la-tsa. And here he constantly turned his gaze to Mount Athos, visited it often and decided to end his life there. One day Pro-we sat down and decided differently.
In 1652, Saint Afa-na-siy, after the death of the pat-ri-ar-ha Ki-ril-la I (Lu-ka- ri-sa) was again elevated to the All-Len-skaya ca-fed-ru, but stayed on it for only 15 days, since mu-sul-ma-nam and some -those who didn’t like this prophet of the right-glorious faith of Christ. During his subsequent pat-ri-ar-she-th service, he delivered a message about there were papal claims for headship in the Universal Church and my alleged apostolic succession. Pre-next mu-sul-ma-na-mi and jezu-i-ta-mi, physical donkey, he handed over control to Kon -stan-ti-no-Polish Church-view mit-ro-po-ly-that Lavriy-sky Pa-i-siya and retired to Mol-da-via, where- received from the state government to the management of the mo-na-styr of St. Nikolay in the city of Ga-la-tse. Knowing the deep faith and responsiveness of the Russian people, Saint Afa-na-siy undertook the journey in Russia. In April 1653, he was met with great honor in Moscow by Patriarch Nikon (1652-1658) and the rem Alek-se-e-mi-hai-lo-vi-chem. I received my sweetheart for the needs of the mo-na-sta-rya, in December 1653, Pat-ri-arch of Afa-na-siy from -e-hal to Ga-lats. On the way, he fell ill and stayed in the Pre-ob-ra-zhen-sky Mgar-sky mo-na-sty-re of the city of Lub-ny in February -le 1654. Feeling the imminent end, the saint made a statement and on April 5 went to God. By-gra-be-nie pat-ri-ar-ha with-ver-shi-li abbot Pet-ro-niy with bra-ti-ey obi-te-li. According to Greek custom, the saint was buried in a sitting position. On February 1, 1662, Saint Afa-na-siy was glorified among the saints and a celebration was established. May 2, on the day of remembrance in his name.
The power of the holy pat-ri-ar-ha Afa-na-siya, the famous many-number-len-ny-mi chu-de-sa-mi and the know-me -n-i-mi, po-ko-yat-sya in the city of Khar-ko-ve, in the Bla-go-ve-shchen-sky ca-fed-ral temple.
Prayers
Troparion to Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Wonderworker of Lubensk
Through the wisdom of your teachings you have enlightened the reigning city,/ you have dispersed the darkness of heretical ignorance, most blessed;/ you have brought your blessing to the Russian land,/ our Father, to Saint Athanasius,/ and Even after you had finished your course,/ you flew on the wings of purity to the Kingdom of Heaven.// Pray Christ God continually cares for our souls.
Translation: Having enlightened the reigning city (Constantinople) with the wisdom of your teachings, you dispersed the darkness of ignorance, brought your blessing to the Russian land, Our Father, Saint Athanasius, where, having completed your journey, you soared on the wings of purity. Pray to Christ God continually for our souls.
Kontakion to Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Wonderworker of Lubensk
O all-holy shepherd and teacher of the universe,/ our most blessed father to Saint Athanasius!/ falling to the race of your relics, we earnestly pray to you:/ accept from our poor souls with love I pray to you / and, as I have boldness at the Throne, Master, / ask with your prayers those who honor you/ with the Angels and all the saints// unceasingly sing to the Most Holy Trinity: Alleluia.
Translation: O all-holy and universal teacher, our blessed father Saint Athanasius! Kneeling at the shrine with yours, we earnestly pray to you: accept from our poor souls the prayers offered to you with love and, like one who has, ask with your prayers those who honor you with the angels and all the saints, without ceasing to chant: .
Prayer to Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Wonderworker of Lubensk
Oh, Saint of Christ, saint of God Athanasius! By the command of God, we accepted the lot of the priestly ministry and laid the cross of Christ on our shoulders, you were a good shepherd, a bright lamp, an unshakable pillar, a faithful servant of the Church, Chief of the hierarchs, defender of Orthodoxy, eradicator of wickedness, for this reason you are installed in the house of your Lord. We therefore ask you: pray for us, who flow with faith and love to your honest and multi-healing relics, do not reject those who ask you for help in sorrows and illnesses. With your prayer, present yourself to the Almighty Master, intercede for the benefit of our souls and bodies and open the doors of God’s mercy to us. Through your intercession, preserve the Holy Church firm and unshakable from the slander of the enemy. Pray to the Lord and Master, that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity. Keep this temple, in which you have dwelt, from all troubles and misfortunes and from all enemies, visible and invisible, and, just as in the life of the Cretan people, you delivered us from the unjust Agarian murder. in Heaven we constantly pray to the Lord to deliver us from all evil circumstances. Give a helping hand to all Orthodox Christians who flock to your honest and incorruptible relics and call upon you in their prayers. Hasten to prayer and strive for help, in the image of your destinies, so that everyone who sees God’s unconditional mercy and the help they have received, glorify the Father who gave you the strength and glory and The Son and the Holy Spirit, in One Being glorified God, now and forever, and in eyelids of centuries. Amen.
Canons and Akathists
Akathist to Saint Athanasius III of Constantinople
Kontakion 1
Chosen One of Christ, Patriarch Athanasius, we remember your sorrowful life and deeds; we honor the love of You, as our good shepherd and intercessor, with songs. But you, having boldness towards the Lord, free us from all troubles, so we call to you:
Ikos 1
The Creator of angels and the Lord of hosts, foreseeing the fruitful kindness of your soul, our holy father Athanasius, enlighten your mind with high good thoughts, and direct your steps from youth to seek one need. You, having understood the impermanence of this world, desired to serve the one God in the monastic rite. In the same way, accept our praises:
Rejoice, faithful servant of Christ, who from a young age served the King of Heaven. Rejoice, man of God, like your Angel in your immaculate life. Rejoice, blessed vegetation of the grateful south. Rejoice, islands of Crete birth and growth. Rejoice, you who received monastic tonsure in a quiet monastery. Rejoice, taught piety from the ascetics. Rejoice, thou filled with the milk of the true Gospel teaching. Rejoice, you who have understood the dogmas of Orthodox theology well. Rejoice, having studied and completed the commandments of Christ. Rejoice, raised by unceasing prayer to the heights of divine thought. Rejoice, having pacified soul-destructive passions through fasting and abstinence.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 2
Seeing that your homeland had fallen into heavy captivity from the wicked Hagarians, you, Father Athanasius, enduring oppression and persecution from the servants of Mohammed, raised your thoughts to the heavenly homeland, having consolation in the One Christ, and joyful songs to Him amid sorrowful temptations, as to the King and God , cried out in song: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Your mind, enlightened by God, does not hide from the Patriarch of Constantinople, who from the solitude of Crete called you and installed you as Metropolitan of the city of Thessaloniki, and unswervingly proclaimed the word of truth to the flock of verbal sheep of Christ, teaching them the soul-saving food of the teachings of the Gospel, and we glorify you as the good shepherd. :
Rejoice, unfading lamp of the unevening light. Rejoice, tireless preacher of the truth of the Gospel. Rejoice, successor and imitator of the apostles. Rejoice, Equal-to-the-Apostles Archpastor and Teacher of Thessalonians. Rejoice, for you have been a good shepherd of the flock entrusted to you by God in the midst of labors and evil misfortunes. Rejoice, for you who protect your sheep from murderous wolves. Rejoice, you who did not abandon monastic deeds in the department of holiness. Rejoice, constantly abiding in fasting and prayer.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 3
The power of God rested on you, Saint Athanasius, and invisibly strengthened you in the fight against heretics and apostates from the Orthodox faith. Moreover, neither the intricacies of heretics, nor the sharp arrows of the evil teaching will shake you. Like a solid adamant you stood on the rock of the patristic faith and sang to the One Head of the Church of Christ, to the Chief Shepherd Christ: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
The High Hierarch of Constantinople, the all-blessed Kirill, has loved you as a father loves his child, who has an assistant for you in his labors, and a compassionate sufferer in persecution from the infidels, so we also are for you. Beloved by God and people, we cry:
Rejoice, star, shining in the firmament of the Church of Christ. Rejoice, unshakable pillar of the Orthodox faith. Rejoice, invincible accuser of the hypocritical Latin teaching. Rejoice, all-powerful defender of true Orthodoxy. Rejoice, you have labored well in Christ’s vineyard. Rejoice, you who led the lost sheep to Christ. Rejoice, golden-speaking theologian. Rejoice, divine grace of God.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 4
The storm of persecution, when the Latins from the Hagarians attacked the Church of Christ, removed from the throne the Ecumenical Patriarch, Blessed Cyril, who suffered a cruel death in agony and was strangled from his enemies. But you, Saint Athanasius, were deemed worthy to bear his lot and, having received in your God-bearing hands the helm of the church ship, the seraphic hymn to Christ, the Founder of the Church, sang: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing that you, Saint Athanasius, like the great Athanasius of Alexandria, greatly disgraced with your teaching the enemies of the Orthodox faith, and for this you were expelled from your pulpit by heretics. Moreover, as a confessor of Christ, we please you with praises:
Rejoice, heir of the apostles. Rejoice, compassionate of the martyrs. Rejoice, steadfast confessor of Christ. Rejoice, you who showed patience in persecution. Rejoice, having conquered the malice of your enemies through the love of Christ. Rejoice, for you were expelled from the cathedral’s pulpit twice. Rejoice, for you were tempted by great sorrows. Rejoice, you who have only consolation in prayer to God.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 5
Like a more godly star, you came, Holy Hierarch Father Athanasius, from Constantinople to Mount Athos to the inheritance of the Most Holy Theotokos, and there you created a solitary cell, laboring with good labor in silence, fasting and prayer, day and night, to the Most Holy Trinity, singing a song of praise: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen, Saint Father Athanasius, how your cell gathered many monks and expanded into a well-appointed monastery, where to this day the name of Christ is glorified by monks; and the memory of you is affirmed with calico praise:
Rejoice, organizer of monastic solitude. Rejoice, fragrant incense of prayer to God. Rejoice, for you have found a quiet and favorable refuge on Mount Athos. Rejoice, having lived a godly life in peace under the protection of the Mother of God. Rejoice, conqueror of the evil intricacies of the devil. Rejoice, for you who wisely endured exile and cruel torment. Rejoice, for like Christ you also had no place to bow your head. Rejoice, thou who perfectest all virtues.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 6
You were a preacher of the Orthodox faith in the land of the Moldovans and there, in the monastery of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, you found temporary peace from labors, persecution and malice, and you worked for the salvation of the faithful children of the Church there, constantly instructing them to sing in a God-pleasing manner to the Triune God: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The unfading light of the knowledge of God has risen in your God-loving soul, O saint of God, lifting you up to the heights of spiritual perfection, as if to some hidden Tabor, from there enlighten our darkened souls with your prayerful intercession before the Lord, so that we can speak to you of this praise:
Rejoice, bright dawn, showing faithful souls the path to the Sun of Truth. Rejoice, honest bead, enlightener of God-loving hearts. Rejoice, immaculate dwelling of Divine grace. Rejoice, chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, head, sanctified by the right hand of the Most High. Rejoice, river, filled with the waters of God’s wisdom. Rejoice, city, stand at the top of the mountain. Rejoice, cup filled with Divine peace.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 7
Lover of mankind, the Lord, having desired to do thee, Saint Athanasius, those close to our country, put in you the thought of walking into our land, so that you will find spiritual consolation here and sanctify our country with your prayers, in which, since ancient years, a song of praise has been sung to the Most Holy Trinity: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
Seeing in you a new champion of piety, Tsar Alexy received you with love, O saint, and bestowed rich gifts on you. We humbly offer you these verbal praises like gifts:
Rejoice, for you have sanctified our land with the soles of your feet. Rejoice, for in old age you manifest spiritual youth. Rejoice, for you have comforted the hearts of our people with your prayers. Rejoice, for our God-loving people are rejoicing at their coming. Rejoice, champion of church piety. Rejoice, accuser of heresies and schisms. Rejoice, wise chastiser of the faithful. Rejoice, guardian of the purity of the Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 8
You were a stranger to Saint Athanasius in our land, but only in language, in faith and piety, you were close to our people, and by the will of God you soon found a second fatherland in our country, and rested the sleep of death here, and became an intercessor and prayer book before God for our people, who constantly sing a song of praise to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
Having devoted yourself to God with all your heart and being guided by God, you came, Saint Athanasius, to the Lubensky monastery, and while in illness, you deigned to remain there. But even in his weakness, he did not give up his feats of prayer and, having chosen a solitary place, he continually offered up prayers to the Lord. In the same way, we call you with love:
Rejoice, Saint of God, who glorified the quiet monastery of Lubensk with your coming. Rejoice, having magnified that one with your wondrous miracles. Rejoice, for you have enriched our temple with the incorruption of your relics. Rejoice, for you have sanctified him with the grace of his celibate relics. Rejoice, having received a peaceful death amid the incessant psalmody. Rejoice, thou who met the angel of death in kneeling prayer. Rejoice, numbered among the host of saints. Rejoice, you who have been awarded incorruption by God.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 9
All the angels of God met your righteous soul with joyful singing, Saint Athanasius, when from the prison of the body it ascended to the heavenly abodes and was received by the Creator of angels into the heavenly villages and, together with a host of angels, silently sang a song to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The florid talkers, who did not tell the truth, were put to shame. But you, Saint Athanasius, were glorified by incorruption and miracles from the Lord after death. For after your eight-year stay in the grave, your holy relics were found safe and sound, and even your holy vestments were not touched by corruption. Rejoicing at this clear evidence of your holiness, we offer you this praise:
Rejoice, you who have experienced death, but have not known corruption. Rejoice, thou who glorified thy might with grace-filled healings. Rejoice, for you are the healer of ailments to the relics of the relics. Rejoice, for from her you give great mercy to people every hour. Rejoice, for even after death you sit in the department of holiness. Rejoice, for with your right hand, set for the kiss, you invisibly bless us. Rejoice, for through your prayers you deliver us from troubles and sorrows. Rejoice, free healer.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 10
You have inherited eternal salvation, O unforgettable Saint. To us, overwhelmed by the waves of the sea of life, you have been your faithful helmsman and protector even to this day. Give help to those who call upon you in dreams and visions; You guide some of the faithful to a quiet refuge, so that together with you, the wondrous God among the saints will sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Faithful servant of the Heavenly King Christ, Saint Father Athanasius, move us, His lazy and indecent servants, with the grace given to you from heaven to perform virtues and call us to fulfill the commandments of Christ, so that we may imitate you; at the hour of our death, good hope for salvation imams, calling to you with these praises:
Rejoice, Athanasius, glorified by God. Rejoice, bishop, filled with grace-filled gifts from the Eternal Bishop Christ. Rejoice, blessed patron of the Christian race. Rejoice, vigilant prayer book of those who honor you. Rejoice, unwashed intercessor of widows and orphans. Rejoice, quick helper to those who suffer greatly. Rejoice, doctor of the sick. Rejoice, healer of the weakened.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 11
Do not reject our songs of praise, O Saint of God, but graciously accept them and offer up your warm prayers for us to the Lord God, that He may be merciful to our iniquities. We do not dare to cry out to the Lord for grace, but having the great saint of God as an intercessor for us before Him, we cry out to Him who glorified you: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
We honor you as a brightly shining lamp, Father Athanasius, for the light of your good deeds, in the image of which the Heavenly Father is glorified, will never dim. And now standing before His holy Throne in glory, receive these praises from us:
Rejoice, for you abide in the glory of the saints. Rejoice, for you offer fervent prayers for our souls. Rejoice, fragrant creen of holiness and purity. Rejoice, beautiful flower of all virtues. Rejoice, merciful protector of all the robbed and disadvantaged. Rejoice, good shepherd and edifying of the verbal sheep after death. Rejoice, you who give good gifts to all who come to your honest race. Rejoice, vigilant guardian of our city.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 12
The grace of God, filled with the shrine of your holy relics, Saint Father Athanasius, pleases our eyes and touches our hearts, for we see you sitting on the pulpit of holiness and holding the bishop’s rod in your hand. In the same way, worshiping your incorruptible and multi-healing relics, we glorify God, who gave them to us for consolation and healing, silently crying out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing your many and wondrous miracles, miracle worker Saint Athanasius, we magnify and praise you, who received such grace from God and earnestly pray to you: at the hour of death, when our wretched soul approaches its end and the horrors of demons surround us, show us your intercession and prayers By yours, deliver us from the power of Belial, so that we may cry out to you in gratitude:
Rejoice, for you have great boldness before the Lord. Rejoice, heir to the apostolic throne. Rejoice, for you sit in heaven with the apostles in glory. Rejoice, for you remain on earth in the pulpit of holiness with your incorruptible relics. Rejoice, glory and praise to our country. Rejoice, hourly joy of our city. Rejoice, blessed physician of our bodies. Rejoice, thou who savest our souls as a representative.
Rejoice, Saint Athanasius, great miracle worker.
Kontakion 13
Oh, great wonderworker, our Saint Athanasius, our Father Athanasius, we left many prayers for one thing and ask you: offer up your holy prayers to the Lord God and deliver us from eternal condemnation and hellish torment, so that through your intercession we may be worthy, together with you, to inherit the bliss of paradise and with sing to our Creator with all the saints: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
Prayer
Oh, Saint of Christ, servant of God Athanasius! By the command of God, we accepted the lot of the ministry of the hierarchs and placed the cross of Christ on our shoulders, you were a good shepherd, an all-bright lamp, an unshakable pillar, a faithful servant of the Church, the leader of the hierarchs, a defender of Orthodoxy, an eradicator of wickedness, for this reason you settled in the house of your Lord. We therefore ask you: pray for us, who flow with faith and love to your honest and multi-healing power, do not reject those asking you for help in sorrows and illnesses. Appear with your prayer to the Almighty Master, intercede for the benefit of our souls and bodies and open for us the doors of God’s mercy. Through your intercession, keep the Holy Church firm and unshakable from the slander of the enemy. Pray to the Lord and Master, that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity. Keep this temple, in which you have dwelt, from all troubles and misfortunes and from all enemies, visible and invisible, and just as in the life of the Cretan people you delivered from the unrighteous Hagaryan murder, so now in Heaven you unceasingly pray to the Lord to deliver us from all evil circumstances. Give a helping hand to all Orthodox Christians who flow to your honest and incorruptible power and call upon you in their prayers. Hasten to prayer and strive to help, in the image of your destinies, so that everyone who sees God’s unparalleled mercy and receives the help they are looking for, glorify the one who gave you the power and glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the One Being of the glorified God, now, and ever, and in forever and ever. Amen.
Saint Athanasius Patelarius, Patriarch of Constantinople, was already the second worker of the Ecumenical Throne of new Rome, who sought help from the beneficent Russian Church, in the midst of the disasters that beset his see. But the first of them, Jeremiah, who established the patriarchate in Rus', was not deprived of his see when he wandered within our borders, although he was once subject to temporary deposition; Athanasius, more experienced in sorrows, ascended three times to the heights and descended from the heights of the Ecumenical Throne and already, with only the loud title of Patriarch, as a wanderer visited the hospitable Russian Power. Within Little Russia, which was his former flock, for then it still depended on the Ecumenical High Hierarchs, he laid his laboring bones in the Lubenskaya monastery, where they became famous for their incorruption. Sitting even after death in his rich shrine, as if in a patriarchal cathedra, he appears to the reverent gaze as if he had just fallen into a deep sleep. His head, overshadowed by the saint’s miter, is bowed on his right shoulder, and his right hand is stretched out on his knees to kiss the believers, and in his left hand he holds his pastoral staff, as if he was still ruling the Ecumenical flock. So they buried him according to the rank and custom of the patriarch, and so they found him, a few years later, awake and after a blessed death.
Saint Athanasius is of Greek origin, born in the city of Rethymno on the island. Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea. He came from the pious, noble Greek family of the Patelarii, who were closely related to the royal family of the Palaiologos. The Patelari family was distinguished by outstanding mental talents, as evidenced by folk songs. The father of Saint Athanasius, Gregory Patelarius, was an outstanding scientist, philosopher and publicist. As a youth, Saint Athanasius studied at the school of the then famous Arcadia Monastery on Fr. Crete. In this school he acquired the strength of knowledge and firmness of conviction in the correctness of the Eastern faith. “I was,” he says about himself, an expert in theology, mathematics, rhetoric, complex grammar, literature, astrological wisdom, music and other arts.” He had an excellent command of ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic and Italian.
In his youth, the saint had a very handsome face, with an open, kind gaze, which endeared him to people at the first meeting. A descendant of a royal family, a theologian, philosopher and poet by nature, he enjoyed great attention in the modern high society of Fr. Crete, and under the patronage of Teafet Pasha, the ruler of the island, he had a brilliant future ahead of him. But the young man did not like the noisy life of secular society. He was attracted to the quiet pious life of Christian ascetics, Fr. Crete, St. Mount Sinai and Mount Athos, who spent all their time in prayerful feats, and this way achieved spiritual perfection. Before his mind’s eye images of ecumenical saints arose: the “divine wonderful” Constantinople Patriarch Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, especially teachers and preachers of the true Gospel and interpreters of the Holy Scriptures, who in the time of St. Athanasius were all from the island of Crete. And the young man Athanasius voluntarily left high secular society, renounced all its charms, devoted himself to serving God, taking on the image of a humble monk.
In 1623, after the death of his father, in one of Thessaloniki monasteries he took monastic vows with the name Ananias. Soon the ascetic goes to Mount Athos, where he was a novice in a refectory in one of the monasteries. Then he traveled to Jerusalem, where he visited Palestinian monasteries. In one of them he took monastic vows with the name Athanasius.
Removal from the world and its temptations, the material deprivations associated with the adoption of the monastic image, the ascetic life to which he devoted himself in subsequent years, seemed to monk Athanasius still insufficient to realize in himself the images of true shepherds and teachers of the church that were presented to him. Monk Athanasius completely devoted his soul to mental prayer, and devoted himself to self-improvement through reading and studying the Word of God. “Oh sacred, wonderful, most luminous book,” he prayed at such hours over the Holy Gospel, “I pray you, enlighten the hair of my soul.”
Monk Athanasius soon became known in the city of Kan as an outstanding preacher and interpreter of Holy Scripture, was summoned to Tsar-Grad, sent to enlighten the teachings of the Vlachs and Moldovans with the light of Christ, for whom he translated the Psalter into the modern vernacular, and in 1631 For his outstanding ascetic and educational activities, he was elevated to the rank of bishop, and then metropolitan of Thessaloniki, otherwise Thessalonica.
From the time he was elevated to the rank of bishop, and then patriarch, a difficult path began for the Saint - a path of sadness, grief, mental and physical suffering, which he humbly traversed under the weight of the patriarchal title. The Lord was pleased to test the patience of Patriarch Athanasius in humiliation and firmness in confession, and he remained unshakably faithful to Him until the end of his days.
Thessalonian Metropolis, within which St. Mount Athos, closest to Constantinople, was the most devastated by the Turks. The disastrous state, unrest in church administration, and religious confusion of minds struck the new bishop so hard that he was even ready to renounce the episcopate altogether. But the Lord strengthened his will. “There is no return,” Metropolitan Athanasius wrote on this occasion, “willy-nilly, I must fulfill what I have undertaken. The Lord said: putting your hand on your forehead and looking back is not ruled in the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62). He who is invited to a marriage should not be sad, and he who has laid his hand on his hand should not look back.”
In order to understand the difficult trials through which the militant Orthodox Church in the East went through throughout the 17th century, it is necessary to trace historically a number of its Patriarchs, whose frequent deposition, through the machinations of the Gentiles, shocked and ruined the Ecumenical See of Constantinople. After the great Jeremiah, who founded the patriarchate in Russia and, although he was deposed, died in his cathedra, in 1594, incessant changes of Ecumenical Patriarchs began. Matthew, Gabriel and Theophan occupied this chair for no more than six months, so that they finally elected the famous Patriarch of Alexandria Meletius Pigou as locum tenens of the Ecumenical Throne. A year later, Matthew again ascended to the see, already convicted of the schema, and again for a short time ceded his throne to Neophyte, the former Metropolitan of Athens; However, he died at his department. His successor Raphael, before his forced imprisonment, was forced to cede the very patriarchal church to the Turks, in the name of the All-Blessed One, and be content with the small church of St. George. After him, Neophyte was called a second time and again deposed, so that no one dared to sit on the Ecumenical See, overwhelmed by so many troubles.
Then, following the previous example, the clergy of the great Church again offered the locum tenens position of the Ecumenical See to another Patriarch of Alexandria, the wise Kirill Lukaris, who had already ruled his Church with glory for 15 years. Finally, Timothy was elected Metropolitan of Patras, who, during his eight-year rather peaceful patriarchate, managed to expand and decorate his new cathedral church and, which was already becoming quite rare in those troubled times, died calmly in his cathedral. With the appointment of his successor, Kirill Lukaris, storms began again. This great figure was elevated five times and dethroned five times from the Ecumenical Throne and finally sealed his feat with martyrdom.
His enemies and persecutors were the Jesuits, who at that time were extremely strong under the Ottoman Porte; with the influence of the envoys of Austria and France, they sought to spread the Union in the east and, through their machinations, managed to take away the holy tomb and den of Bethlehem from Patriarch Stephen of Jerusalem; they could not indifferently see on the Ecumenical Throne of the new Rome such a great champion of Orthodoxy as Cyril Lucaris, already known to them by his high enlightenment, during his long reign of the flock of Alexandria. A year later, Cyril was slandered by them before the Turkish government, for relations with Europeans, and deprived of his throne, but his two successors, Gregory and Anthimus, could not stay on the shaky throne of Constantinople; the first was exiled to captivity on the island of Rhodes, and the second arbitrarily retired to Mount Athos, not feeling able to hold the helm of the Church. Since at that time there were internal unrest in the empire, Sultan Mustafa was overthrown from the throne and Murat reigned, Cyril’s friends, zealots of the church, took advantage of the favorable opportunity to elevate him again in 1624 to the Ecumenical See, and this time his patriarchate lasted 8 years.
In order to stay in his pulpit and counteract the machinations of the Jesuits and their powerful patrons, Cyril had no other means left than to resort to the patronage of two Protestant envoys from England and Holland, with whom he made a short acquaintance when he was still a simple monk traveling around Europe to collect alms in favor of the Alexandrian Church. Both envoys were on friendly terms with the Porte and opposed the Jesuits, who opened a school on the outskirts of Constantinople and, educating poor Greek children for free, seduced them into the union. The zealous Patriarch denounced false teachers in his pastoral conversations and, in order to establish Orthodoxy, set up a printing house in Constantinople, calling for this the learned monk Gregory Metaxa from the island of Corfu; with his help, he printed pious books to refute those seductive works that the Jesuits printed in large numbers and distributed them to children who were still inexperienced in the Orthodox faith. Then the Jesuits slandered him before the government as a blasphemer of the Mohammedan law, and referred as proof to the catechism of Patriarch Kirill, published by him during his stay in London, in which he exposed the false teaching of Mohammed; They also claimed that this book had recently been printed in a new printing house. The Turkish government, in a fit of indignation, sent to immediately ruin the printing house and destroy all the machines. Her boss, Metaxa, barely managed to escape with his life. The Patriarch himself would not have escaped death if he had not taken refuge in the house of the Dutch ambassador, who stood up for the sufferer and convinced the Grand Vizier that all this was the slander of the Jesuits.
Thus, the zealous Cyril remained on his throne. But the Jesuits were not satisfied with this: they accused the Patriarch of having a Protestant way of thinking and tried to convince the simple-minded bishops and clergy of this. The rumor about this even reached Russia, so the Orthodox sent to Patriarch Theophan of Jerusalem, who then lived in Iasi, to find out whether this criticism was fair? And the Patriarch had to convene a local Council in order to justify the great champion of Orthodoxy with a district message. But two years later, through the machinations of the Jesuits, a book appeared, with the name of Cyril, printed in Geneva, filled with Calvin’s teachings. This completely shocked Saint Cyril in his pulpit and aroused great confusion in the clergy, the great Church. The Patriarch was accused before the government of treason and of professing the Frankish faith. They forcibly deposed him from the throne and installed another Cyril Contaris, Metropolitan of Berry, a tool of the Jesuits, who, however, a week later was deposed and exiled to prison on the island of Tenedos. Cyril was again called to the ecumenical see, but his enemies did not sleep and tried to again erect Contaris, very close to the place of his imprisonment. Then, the Orthodox and clergy, just to reject the second election of Kontaris, took advantage of the great Vizier’s disposition towards his compatriot on the island of Candia, Athanasius, Metropolitan of Thessalonica, and elevated him to the Ecumenical See, waiting for the great Cyril to return, and indeed, a month later , he sat on it again, on the eve of Easter. This was in 1634.
Although later Patriarch Parthenius wrote to Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich: “that Athanasius, after his removal from the patriarchal see, was again given the metropolis of Thessalonica, with all the income, so that he would remain there peacefully until the end of his life and would not embarrass the great Church, in which he made an oath promise and received a patriarchal conciliar letter as a witness,” however, one cannot help but pay attention to the fact that in this way retired patriarchs were never removed from the Ecumenical See: they were mostly subjected to imprisonment on the islands of the archipelago, or had to take refuge somewhere in a monastery, in in the vicinity of Constantinople or on the holy Mount Athos. If Athanasius escaped the common fate of those deposed from the throne, and this was according to the conciliar charter of all the bishops, then, without a doubt, it was only because he was invited by all the bishops to take the place of the great Cyril, in order only to reject the unworthy Kontaris. Later writers who compiled the list of Patriarchs of Constantinople did not know how to distinguish this feature and, knowing that the Jesuits were to blame for the repeated deposition of Cyril, they thought that they also put Athanasius Patelarius in his place, as they did with Contaris, especially since in the continuation of three years, Patelarius and both Cyril gradually replaced each other.
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/p>Saint Athanasius III Patelarius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in peace. Alexey was born in 1580 on the island of Candia or Crete into a family of noble, wealthy, virtuous and pious Greek parents who tried to give their son an excellent spiritual education from an early age. Already from childhood, he showed special love and affection for the temple of God and church services.
The island of Crete at that time was in the hands of the Venetians and provided great convenience for education. Alexey, as the son of a noble Kandyan, studied all the sciences taught at a higher educational institution and received an excellent education, besides possessing rich abilities and amazing acuity of his memory.
After graduating from a higher educational institution, Alexey became known as a philosopher, philologist, poet and excellent speaker. Rich abilities and extensive education gave Alexei the right to brilliant honors in the world. He could have taken a high position at the court of the Grand Vizier, since he was his close friend at the educational institution, but worldly glory did not attract him and, having devoted himself entirely to the study of the Holy Scriptures, after the death of his father, he retired from the world to one of the Solunsky monasteries and there accepted monasticism with the name Ananias. Soon he left this monastery and went to Mount Athos to the Esphigmen monastery.
Here he spent his time in strict abstinence and severe labors, undergoing obedience in the refectory and not having a separate cell. His food consisted of bread and water, he spent his nights in prayer and spent several hours a day sleeping, and the bare earth served as his bed in summer and winter.
From Athos he went to Jerusalem, visited numerous Palestinian monasteries and in one of them took monastic vows with the name Athanasius. He soon returned to Thessaloniki, where he took the place of a priest, devoting himself entirely to preaching the Word of God. Saint Athanasius had too deep a love for the holy Mount Athos, and therefore from time to time he left Thessaloniki and went to Mount Athos. Not far from the Athos monastic town of Karey, he built himself a cell, which received the name of the palace. Here he devoted himself entirely to strict deeds, fasting and unceasing prayer, only occasionally returning to preach the Word of God in Thessaloniki.
The high piety and great holiness of the life of Bishop. Athanasius became far known outside the Thessalonica region. People came from everywhere, wanting to see and listen to the famous speaker and preacher of the Word of God, a strong defender of Orthodoxy.
Compatriot of St. Athanasius, Patriarch Kirill I (Lukaris) summoned him to his place in Constantinople, received him with great love, made him his first adviser, ordained him a bishop and elevated him to the rank of Metropolitan of Thessaloniki with control of the Thessalonica region.
The Grand Vizier, his compatriot and fellow student at the educational institution, treated St. very kindly and with great affection. Afanasy. While in the rank of metropolitan, St. Athanasius did not abandon his strict labors, always remaining in fasting and unceasing prayer. Patriarch Cyril I (Lucaris), as a zealous defender of Orthodoxy, an unshakable fighter against the union and the Mohammedan faith, was persecuted both by the Turks and by Catholics, Jesuits and heretics. Patriarch Kirill was deposed from the patriarchal throne for the third time and imprisoned on the island of Tenedos, and St. Athanasius, by a special Revelation of God, was elected to the see of the Patriarch of Constantinople.
He, like Patriarch Kirill, was persecuted because he, like St. Athanasius of Alexandria, was an implacable and terrible opponent of heretics, Jesuits, Catholics and Muslims. He waged a merciless struggle with them, denounced, refuted false opinions and teachings, and published printed denunciations and appeals to his flock against the lost apostates from the Orthodox faith and Muslims.
Through the machinations of his enemies, he was deposed from the patriarchal throne, and Kirill was again elevated to the chair of Patriarch for the fourth time. After the deposition from the patriarchal throne of St. Athanasius visited his Serai cell on Athos, where a small monastery had already been formed and the elders of Athos were laboring, seeking solitude and exploits.
Resting here from the labors and troubles he had to endure during the period of governance of the Constantinople Patriarchate, St. Afanasy was always in prayer and fasting.
Patriarch Kirill I was soon again overthrown from the patriarchal throne, exiled to the island of Hodos, and in 1638 he suffered martyrdom, being hanged by the Turks, in patriarchal vestments on the Gates of Constantinople.
After the exile of Patriarch Kirill I, St. Athanasius was again elevated for the second time to the patriarchal see, but as a zealous fighter and defender of Orthodoxy, who denounced Mohammedans, Catholics, Jesuits and heretics in his sermons and messages, he was overthrown from the patriarchal throne in 1635. St. Athanasius, after his demotion from the patriarchal see, remained in Thessaloniki, ruled the metropolis and often retired to the holy Mount Athos, where he rested and prepared for uncomplaining patience and enduring the sorrows and disasters assigned to him by the Providence of God.
With the death of Patriarch Kirill, intolerable persecution of the Orthodox by Muslims began. Church utensils were taken away by the Turks under various pretexts and a lot of money was required to buy them back. These persecutions and persecutions also reached Thessaloniki.
In 1641–1643 St. Afanasy sent to the Russian Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich with tearful forgiveness to help him free himself from debts and redeem from the hands of the infidels the sacred vessels and vestments that they held to desecrate the Christian faith. He didn’t even have the bishop’s vestments, everything was taken away and he had to perform divine services in priestly vestments. For some reason, the king reacted unfavorably to this and the help they provided was too insignificant.
St. Athanasius stayed in Thessaloniki as long as the opportunity remained, and then with heartache he was forced to retire to Moldavia under the protection of the powerful ruler Vasily Lupul, with whom at that time the distressed patriarchs, metropolitans and bishops found shelter.
Despite all the difficult experiences of St. Athanasius did not forget his monastery on Mount Athos and often visited it. Here he intended to end his life. But the Lord, however, judged differently. Russia was the place of his death and received his sacred remains, and his Serai cell was decorated with the exploits of Patriarch Seraphim and, finally, Russian ascetics and currently represents one of the beautifully arranged monasteries of Athos.
In 1652 St. Athanasius sat for the third time on the ecumenical see at the request of the inhabitants of Constantinople. He was not on it for long - only 15 days.
Dejected by the labors and disasters, Saint Athanasius convened the metropolitans, archbishops, bishops and clergy of the Orthodox Church for council and renounced the patriarchal throne, transferring the management of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to Metropolitan Paisius of Gaza, and he himself went to Moldavia and ruled the monastery of St. Nicholas near the city of Galati.
In 1653 Saint Athanasius arrived in Moscow. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich received him according to the rank of Metropolitans, as a former Patriarch.
Alexei Mikhailovich generously rewarded him and in 1654 he left Moscow for his homeland. Arriving in Ukraine, he stayed at the monastery of Lubenskaya, Poltava region, where he fell ill. Being sick, he did not give up his prayers, deeds and fasting. St. died Athanasius April 5, 1654, being 74 years old, at prayer, in a kneeling position.
St. Athanasius was buried under the pulpit of the Transfiguration Cathedral. Lubensky monastery in the crypt, according to the custom of the Eastern patriarchs, sitting. By special revelation and direction of God, the relics of St. Athanasius were found incorrupt after 8 years, and even the vestments were not touched by corruption. The abbot of the Lubensky monastery, Victor, reported the discovery of the relics of St. Athanasius to Metropolitan Joseph of Tukala, who, as Exarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, ruled the Kyiv and other Ukrainian dioceses.
By order of Metropolitan Joseph, the relics of St. Athanasius in a seated position were solemnly taken out of hiding and installed on the right side of the cathedral.
On February 1, 1662, Saint Athanasius was canonized, canonized, and his memory was established on May 2.
The relics of St. Athanasius currently rest openly in a specially constructed shrine in the Kharkov Cathedral of the Annunciation in the right aisle and constitute the greatest shrine of our God-saved city of Kharkov and our vast Motherland - Mother Russia.
Priest Ilya Silverstov
Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, No. 10, 1947